Natural Law Theory: Objective, Universal Morality Based on Human Nature, Lecture notes of Ethics

Download Natural Law Theory: Objective, Universal Morality Based on Human Nature and more Lecture notes Ethics in PDF only on Docsity! LESSON 9 (Part 2) Focus on NATURAL LAW OBJECTIVES: 1. To introduce the ethical theory or framework on Natural Law 2. To show some possible insights from Natural Law to show Care for the Self and Care for Others 3. To try find some insights from Natural Law on concerns for non-human environment, animals, plants, and ecosystem. THE VALUE OF STUDYING ETHICAL THEORIES OR FRAMEWORKS ETHICAL AGENT DEONTOLOGY EGOISM UTILITARIANISM NATURAL LAW THEORY VIRTUE ETHICS HUMAN ACTION MOTIVES INTENTION CONSEQUENCIALISM What then is the role of ethical theories or frameworks in the continuing cultivation of one’s capacity for moral choice? None of the ethical frameworks we have studied is final and complete, how then should one make use of them for the development of her faculty for moral valuation? These ethical theories or frameworks may serve as guideposts, given that they are the best attempts to understand morality that the history of human thought has to offer. As guideposts, they can shed light on many important considerations, though of course not all, in one’s quest to answer the twin questions of “What ought I to do?” and “Why ought I to do so?” Individually, they can clarify many important aspects of morality. 2 ETHICAL FRAMEWORK: NATURAL LAW The natural law theory, puts more emphasis on the supposed a) objective, b) universal nature of what is to be considered morally good, c) basing its reasoning on the theorized existence of a “human nature.” This theory has the advantage of both a) objectivity and b) a kind of intuitiveness. The latter (universal nature of what is to be considered morally) pertains to the assumption that whatever is right what feels right (intuition), that is, in the innermost recesses of one’s conscience (and not just in some shallow emotional level) because what is good is imprinted in our very being in the form of natural inclinations.